The first series of The Traditions of Lancashire appeared in 1829, in two volumes (including twenty tales), illustrated by plates.  The reception of the work equalled Mr Roby’s most sanguine expectations; and a second edition was called for within twelve months.  The late Sir Francis Palgrave, in a letter to Mr Roby, dated 26th October 1829, thus estimates the work:—­

“As compositions, the extreme beauty of your style, and the skill which you have shown in working up the rude materials, must entitle them to the highest rank in the class of work to which they belong....  You have made such a valuable addition, not only to English literature, but to English topography, by your collection—­for these popular traditions form, or ought to form, an important feature in topographical history—­that it is to be hoped you will not stop with the present volumes.”

The second series of the “Traditions,” consisting also of two volumes (including twenty tales), uniform with the first, was published in 1831, and met with similar success.  Both series were reviewed in the most cordial manner by the leading periodicals of the day; while they were more than once quoted by Sir Walter Scott, who characterised the whole as an elegant work.  In the production of these tales, Mr Roby’s practice was to make himself master of the historical groundwork of the story, and as far as possible of the manners and customs of the period, and then to commence composition, with Fosbroke’s Encyclopedia of Antiquities at hand, for accuracy of costume, &c.  He always gave the credit of his style, which the Westminster Review termed “a very model of good Saxon,” to his native county, the force and energy of whose dialect arises mainly from the prevalence of the Teutonic element.  “The thought digs out the word,” was his favourite saying, when the exact expression he wanted did not at once occur.  In these “Traditions” his great creative power is conspicuous; about two hundred different characters are introduced, no one of which reminds the reader of another, while there is abundant diversity of both heroic and comic incident and adventure.  A gentleman, after reading the “Traditions,” remarked that for invention he scarcely knew Mr Roby’s equal.  All these characters, it should be stated, are creations:  not one is an idealised portrait.  The short vivid descriptions of scenery scattered throughout are admirable.  Each tale is, in fact, a cabinet picture, combining history and romance with landscape.  Mr Roby excelled in depicting the supernatural; and one German reviewer declared his story of Rivington Pike to be “the only authentic tale of demoniacal possession the English have.”